NEWS: Lawyers force President Buhari to appoint ministers

Activist-lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel Muhammadu Buhari to appoint ministers without further delay or  cease to function as President.

The lawyer is praying the court to determine whether or not by virtue of section 147(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, President Buhari is not obliged and under obligation to appoint qualified persons into offices as ministers upon his swearing in and oath of office since May 29.

He also wants the court to determine whether Buhari’s failure to appoint ministers does not disqualify him from continuing to function as President.

Among others, he is praying for a declaration that the president’s failure to appoint ministers to run and administer the country’s affairs is illegal, unconstitutional and null and void.

He sought an order directing Buhari to appoint ministers forthwith, including a qualified person into the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Adegboruwa, a former Student’s Union president of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is a member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Campaign for Democracy (CD), among others, and served as secretary of the Joint Action Committee of National Democratic Coalition, NADECO in 1997.

According to him, since Buhari was sworn in, “he has been acting as a lone ranger and in a dictatorial manner, contrary to the Constitution, which he publicly swore to uphold, without any minister or advisers.”

He said since May 29, the country had been in some form of confusion, while everything was grounded on account of the failure to constitute the Federal Executive Council.

“I know as a fact that the First Respondent (Buhari) has been contesting election into the office of President for 16 years now since 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 and I verily believe that he must have orchestrated a programme of action for why he wanted to rule Nigeria but he has since his election and inauguration refused to name any persons as ministers.

“I know as a fact for instance that cases are being filed in court by and against the Federal Republic of Nigeria; legal issues have been arising for consideration and yet the President has refused and or failed to appoint any qualified person as the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation in compliance with the Constitution.

“The failure, neglect or refusal to appoint qualified persons into the offices of ministers… is capable of collapsing the economy of this nation and may likely affect me and those connected to me,” Adegboruwa said.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge.